I agree with the comments posted above. You might seriously consider combining Rome with Tuscany. There are many small and wonderfully quaint towns/small cities/villages in Tuscany. The region in general is about 3 hours by train from Rome, so it's not terribly far. Some areas I would recommend include Sienna, San Gimignano, Lucca, Monte Catini Terme (famous for the spas), and do make a stop in Florence. Sure it's a city, but it is so wonderful. Rome isn't too shabby either; after all, it is the eternal city and there are so many fascinating places to see and things to do. Think of this as a win-win trip for you both by combining the city with the out-of-the-way village.

Another location that would be good to consider to some city, some village would be Nice (for the city) and the many surrounding villages in the south of France. If this sound good to you, let us know and we can provide you much more info.

Here's wishing you a fabulous trip, whatever you decide.